In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

During the First World War a

young Canadian artillery officer,

Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was

killed on 2nd May, 1915. An

exploding German artillery shell

landed near him. He was serving

in the same Canadian artillery unit

as a friend of his, the Canadian

military doctor and artillery

commander Major John McCrae

As the brigade doctor, John McCrae

was asked to conduct the burial

service for Alexis. It is believed that

later that evening, after the burial,

John began the draft for his now

famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’

In Flanders’ Fields’by Major John McCrae

Canadian troops in training trenches at Shorncliffe

Major John McCrae was briefly

stationed at Shorncliffe in 1915

In Flanders’ Fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders’ fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders’ fields.

A ballad & an Epitaphby

John McCrae

The poem’s Vocabulary

Flanders - Part of Belgium where there was heavy fighting during WW1Lark - Bird with a particularly beautiful song rising higher in the air as it singsScarce - Hardly at all Dawn - Time when the sun comes up in the morningSunset - Time when the sun sets in the eveningQuarrel - Fight -arrowsFoe - Enemy Torch - A light that can be carriedYe - Old English word for youFaith - belief

RHYMING COUPLETS: are those with the same sound at the end of lines

RHYTHM: the beat of the poem creating regularity

Poetic Techniques

Theme: The message of the poemTopic: The subject of the poemTone: The attitude of the poet towards his subjectMood: Feelings expressed by the poet

In verse 1 McCrae uses cinquain which is verse with five lines and in this case eight syllables.

In verse 2 McCrae uses quatrain which is verse with four lines and in this case eight syllables until LINE FOUR

In verse 3 McCrae uses sestet which is verse with six lines and in this case eight syllables until LINE FIVE

What effect does the poet create by repeating IN FLANDERS’ FIELDS?

The four pictures that you can see on this page were all

taken during the First World War at Shorncliffe camp in

Kent.

They are Canadian soldiers in training before they went to

France in 1917 to fight on the western front. The western

front was the front line between the German army and the

British army.

The four pictures that you can see on this page were all

taken during the First World War at Shorncliffe camp in

Kent.

They are Canadian soldiers in training before they went to

France in 1917 to fight on the western front. The western

front was the front line between the German army and the

British army.

Having read and learnt about the ‘In Flander’s Field poem by Major John

McCrae, the ShorncliffeTrust would now like you to write your own

poem about

‘A soldier of the Great War’.

You might like to draw a picture to accompany your poem.

Your teacher will give you further guidance and help.

Having read and learnt about the ‘In Flander’s Field poem by Major John

McCrae, the ShorncliffeTrust would now like you to write your own

poem about

‘A soldier of the Great War’.

You might like to draw a picture to accompany your poem.

Your teacher will give you further guidance and help.